Grandma buys pet rat for grandson. Rat kills the kid. Family sues Petco

[ShootSpeeders]

SUE SUE SUE. Every bad thing is somebody else's fault. Such is liberalism.

Family Claims Child Died from Infected Pet Rat Purchased at PETCO

26 Feb 2014,
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A San Diego family is suing Petco after the death of their 10-year-old son from a bacterial infection they say he contracted from his pet rat.
Attorney John Gomez told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his firm filed the lawsuit Monday in San Diego County seeking an unspecified amount for the suffering endured by the Pankey family, whose son, Aidan, died June 12, 2013, hours after he was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pains.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the cause of death was streptobacillus moniliformis infection, commonly known as rat-bite fever, after exposure to an infected rat.

The boy's grandmother purchased the male rat, which Aidan named Alex, because her only grandson wanted a mate for his female pet rat, Gomez said. The boy took the rat home May 27, 2012, and woke up the night of June 11 in severe pain with a fever and stomach problems. He was pale, lethargic and could barely walk, according to the lawsuit. He died at 1:09 a.m. the next day.

 

[WillowTree]

It was a year later even.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

On behalf of rats everywhere, I wish to apologize for what Alex did. His actions were not sanctioned by the Swarm of Elders.




Sent from my white iPhone. I got rid of the black one because it wouldn't work.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Did the black plague teach us nothiiiiiiinggggg??????

 

[Asclepias]

Sounds like they have a case. When you get an animal dont get it from a big box store. Go to a breeder. The big box store personnel dont know and many dont care about the health of the animals. They sold an infected rat and for that they should pay.

 

[aaronleland]

Did they ask the family's political affiliation, or are you just turning a random news story into a political issue?

 

[SteadyMercury]

Did they ask the family's political affiliation, or are you just turning a random news story into a political issue?

Hah you can't possibly be attempting to discover a logical rationale behind ShootSpeeder's rantings?

 

[ShootSpeeders]

Did they ask the family's political affiliation, or are you just turning a random news story into a political issue?

Why can't you liberals ever take responsibility for your actions.?

 

[ShootSpeeders]

It was a year later even.

Article gives different dates. May have been a year later or may have been two weeks later.

 

[bodecea]

SUE SUE SUE. Every bad thing is somebody else's fault. Such is liberalism.

Family Claims Child Died from Infected Pet Rat Purchased at PETCO

26 Feb 2014,
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A San Diego family is suing Petco after the death of their 10-year-old son from a bacterial infection they say he contracted from his pet rat.
Attorney John Gomez told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his firm filed the lawsuit Monday in San Diego County seeking an unspecified amount for the suffering endured by the Pankey family, whose son, Aidan, died June 12, 2013, hours after he was rushed to the hospital with severe stomach pains.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the cause of death was streptobacillus moniliformis infection, commonly known as rat-bite fever, after exposure to an infected rat.

The boy's grandmother purchased the male rat, which Aidan named Alex, because her only grandson wanted a mate for his female pet rat, Gomez said. The boy took the rat home May 27, 2012, and woke up the night of June 11 in severe pain with a fever and stomach problems. He was pale, lethargic and could barely walk, according to the lawsuit. He died at 1:09 a.m. the next day.

People can file law suits for any reason they want. Doesn't mean they can win.

 

[Sallow]

Da dirty rat.

 

[whitehall]

Petco should be responsible for infected animals they sell.

 

[CaféAuLait]

Sounds like they have a case. When you get an animal dont get it from a big box store. Go to a breeder. The big box store personnel dont know and many dont care about the health of the animals. They sold an infected rat and for that they should pay.

I agree about not liking big box stores esp when it comes to pets. However, I don't think the family has a case.


The organism that causes the disease is naturally occurring it rests in the rats respiratory tract without causing harm to the rat. The rat doee not have to bite either.

The other thing is the kid already had one rat ( which also may naturally carry the organism for rat bite fever) and the information sheets about rat care at Petco mention rat bite fever and diseases nearly on the first line.

IDK there has to be a point we take responsibility, we buy or allow our children to have wild exotic animals, then we need to assure the child remain healthy.

 

[Asclepias]

Sounds like they have a case. When you get an animal dont get it from a big box store. Go to a breeder. The big box store personnel dont know and many dont care about the health of the animals. They sold an infected rat and for that they should pay.

I agree about not liking big box stores esp when it comes to pets. However, I don't think the family has a case.


The organism that causes the disease is naturally occurring it rests in the rats respiratory tract without causing harm to the rat. The rat doee not have to bite either.

The other thing is the kid already had one rat ( which also may naturally carry the organism for rat bite fever) and the information sheets about rat care at Petco mention rat bite fever and diseases nearly on the first line.

IDK there has to be a point we take responsibility, we buy or allow our children to have wild exotic animals, then we need to assure the child remain healthy.

I agree there is some responsibilities the owners should have taken like getting the rat to a vet ASAP. However the store sold an infected animal with a disease that is known to affect people especially children. There has to be some accountability by the store to provide healthy animals or just not sale them. if I recall Petcos have vets on staff that could/should have checked the rat before handing it over to the customer. Personally I think rats are disgusting vermin but one should have a reasonable expectation that you are not going to sold a pet with the SARs virus or something.

 

[CaféAuLait]

Sounds like they have a case. When you get an animal dont get it from a big box store. Go to a breeder. The big box store personnel dont know and many dont care about the health of the animals. They sold an infected rat and for that they should pay.

I agree about not liking big box stores esp when it comes to pets. However, I don't think the family has a case.


The organism that causes the disease is naturally occurring it rests in the rats respiratory tract without causing harm to the rat. The rat doee not have to bite either.

The other thing is the kid already had one rat ( which also may naturally carry the organism for rat bite fever) and the information sheets about rat care at Petco mention rat bite fever and diseases nearly on the first line.

IDK there has to be a point we take responsibility, we buy or allow our children to have wild exotic animals, then we need to assure the child remain healthy.

I agree there is some responsibilities the owners should have taken like getting the rat to a vet ASAP. However the store sold an infected animal with a disease that is known to affect people especially children. There has to be some accountability by the store to provide healthy animals or just not sale them. if I recall Petcos have vets on staff that could/should have checked the rat before handing it over to the customer. Personally I think rats are disgusting vermin but one should have a reasonable expectation that you are not going to sold a pet with the SARs virus or something.

Its so strange that this thread came up, it was just two days ago I watched that show called "monsters inside me" and this disease was featured in a guy who kept a few rats with his girlfriend. Stranger, even after he nearly died they decided to continue to keep their rats.

The thing is the organism naturally occurs in rats and they are healthy. If I recall correctly it said in some areas 100 percent of rats have this organism in their respiratory tracts.

What makes it bad, rats pee everywhere, and that rate bite fever is transferred to people through rat urine as well as bites.

I think the problem is people don't treat rats, gerbils, hedgehogs, etc, like dogs and cats and perhaps they should. May they need to be required to have vaccinations and regular check ups or at least an initial sets of tests by a vet.

 

[jillian]

It was a year later even.

they had to wait for confirmation that was what killed the kid.

you might want to ask what the statute of limitations was before complaining about it being a year later.

I find it odd that it would offend anyone that the family is suing.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

And this thread somehow being turned into Republican vs. Democrats in 5..4..3..2..

 

[Gracie]

I would never buy a rat from a pet store. I had one as a pet. Snoopy. He came from the local highschool zoology dept. One of the babies born from their collection of hamsters, rats, bunnies, etc.
They only live 3 to 5 years so when poor Snoopy grew old and feeble where he couldn't breathe at the ripe old age of 3 and a half..I had him put down by the vet and swore never again.